Bassil’s Visit to Paris: Discussing Expatriate Issues and Potential French Support for Lebanon

MP Gebran Bassil holds a series of meetings in Paris with French officials to discuss bilateral relations and support for Lebanon. The talks focused on the political and financial challenges facing Lebanon and ways to address them. The importance of national partnership and sovereignty in finding Lebanese solutions supported internationally was emphasized.

In the context of his extended European tour, the head of the “Free Patriotic Movement,” MP Gebran Bassil, continued to hold intensive meetings within the corridors of the French capital, Paris. These meetings included a series of important meetings with a selection of prominent French officials from both legislative councils: the National Assembly and the Senate. These discussions revolved around strengthening bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, in addition to exploring ways to provide the necessary support to Lebanon in the face of the political and financial challenges that are plaguing it.

According to a statement issued by the media office of the ” التيار”, Bassil opened his series of meetings with a fruitful meeting with the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the French National Assembly, MP Bruno Fuchs. This meeting witnessed a detailed presentation of the current Lebanese situation, including the worsening crises that the country is suffering from, as well as a review of the available options for getting out of this dark tunnel.

At the French Senate, Bassil met with Ms. Hélène Conway-Mouret, the esteemed representative of the French residing abroad. They had an in-depth discussion about the pioneering French experience in the field of expatriate voting and the lessons learned from it.

During this important meeting, Bassil presented a comprehensive presentation of the details of the 2017 election law, which allowed Lebanese citizens residing abroad to exercise their constitutional right to vote for the first time, as well as their direct representation in Parliament. He also stressed the utmost importance of strengthening this right and developing mechanisms for effective political participation of Lebanese expatriates around the world.

There was an exchange of ideas and visions with the aim of making optimal use of the advanced French system in managing foreign elections, in order to ensure wider and more organized participation of Lebanese expatriates in the upcoming electoral events.

Bassil and the accompanying delegation also accepted a generous invitation from Senator Khalifa Khalifa to a working lunch held inside one of the Council’s halls. During this meeting, ways to support Lebanon through the available French parliamentary and diplomatic channels were discussed.

The meetings also included an important meeting with the head of the Lebanese-French Friendship Committee in the Senate, Mrs. Catherine Lavedrine, and a number of the esteemed committee members. During this meeting, Bassil presented the “Free Patriotic Movement’s” comprehensive vision for addressing the current Lebanese crisis, through the launch of internal initiatives strongly supported by international partners, led by France.

According to the statement, Bassil affirmed before the French officials that the desired solutions must be Lebanese in origin, enjoy broad international support, and be based on genuine national partnership and full sovereignty, and not on interference or guardianship. He stressed that “Lebanon needs a support network, not a new guardianship.”